Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Over the weekend, I attended a bridal shower for a friend who is getting married soon. It was a lovely shower with teal and pink accents. The bridal party and the hosts dressed in pink - too cute! I bought towels off her registry, and made this towel cake with them.

Instructions...

-Take 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels, 4 washcloths-Roll them together and secure using fishing line on the top and bottom of each layer (you can also use pins if you prefer)-Stick a dowel through the middle of the cake for support-Cover the fishing line with two layers of ribbon-Hot glue silver jewels onto the ribbon (or anything else you want)-Thread crystal flowers through the fishing line and behind the ribbon-Take silk flowers, cut off most of the stems and leaves with wire cutters, and stick them in between the layers of towels and on the top-Finish it off with a pretty bow on top

This was a really fun project, although it definitely took a lot of time!

Playing with towels reminded me of this great company....Le Viette makes towels to resemble desserts, and you can use them as favors, gifts, etc...

Saturday, June 27, 2009

We had the privilege of coordinating and decorating a retirement ceremony and celebration for a Chief Petty Officer of the US Navy that I wanted to share with you. It was held on the fantail of the USS Little Rock on the Buffalo waterfront. This is truly a unique location to host an event! They allow you to hold anything from a casual party to a wedding right on the fantail of the ship! Here's a photo...

The location did present some challenges (including the famous Buffalo waterfront wind and ladies walking up the grated stairs in heels), but I think we rose to the occasion! It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony. Here are some detail shots of the decor...

The decor was simple and affordable, and everything was decorated in the colors of the Navy. Blueberries in a vase with a single red gerbera daisy is simple and striking! I purchased a stamp with the Petty Officer symbol and stamped the symbol on each cocktail napkin. Finally, tables centerpieces were galvanized pails with American Flags and stars that held photos of the Officer's family. It was important that she honor her daughters, and we used photos of them at different stages of their lives and attached them to foam stars. An inexpensive, yet creative way to personalize the decor.

Other centerpieces were galvanized pails with blue hydrangeas in them...

Navy blue paper lanterns were hung to add a festive flair...

All in all, we really transformed the ship into a unique and classy space for this celebration! A great time was had by all!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

I wanted to address the subject of corsages for the females involved in your wedding. Customarily, corsages are ordered for the Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom, and any other females you would like to honor such as Grandmothers, Aunts, Godmothers, Ceremony readers, Sisters, and so on.

While this may seem like a trivial thing to worry about in the scope of your wedding, it is one of the many details that I come across on a daily basis and I wanted to bring it to your attention.

Traditionally, women wore pin-on corsages, and some florists still suggest these. However, I find wrist corsages to be much more practical. You can even order pretty bracelets to enhance the look if you don't like the plain elastic. As someone that pins on corsages for multiple weddings, I find the pin-on's for women to be particularly problematic. If the woman's dress is not made with a substantial material, the corsage doesn't always sit straight on the dress. So I am forced to poke multiple pin holes in the dress, or pin it all the way through to their bra, and sometimes the corsage still doesn't sit straight - especially when the dress is made of a lighter weight fabric. The woman is left to worry about their corsage all night, when they should be focusing on the wedding and having a good time.

At a recent wedding, I had two women who were unhappy with the pin-on corsages the bride had chosen for them. They asked me to convert their pin-on's to wrist corsages on the spot. Being the resourceful planner that I am, I was able to do this and everyone was happy! But you may not have these resources at your wedding, so it is best to plan ahead. Please take into consideration what the women are wearing, and it doesn't hurt to ask them which type they would prefer to wear. That way everyone will be happy and be able to enjoy the day to its fullest!

Friday, June 19, 2009

I HEART these new King & Queen of Hearts stamps on sale at USPS.com How adorable would these be on your wedding invitations?!Helpful tip - Make sure to weigh your invitations before purchasing postage, as many standard invitation sizes may require more than 44 cents.

Monday, June 15, 2009

NPR recently asked its listeners to send in stories about inappropriate wedding songs. People have some funny stories! Here are a few gems...

Send in the Clowns (Judy Collins)At my first wedding in Tahoe, we quickly found a minister to perform the ceremony without discussing the details. Everything seemed fine as I walked up to the preacher, except that the bridesmaid was doubled-over in laughter. I was only vaguely listening to the lyrics... --Darol Allen In 1978, my sister walked down the aisle to "Send in the Clowns." My mother picked it out, and to this day defends her choice. --Carrie Yankello Wow! Someone else chose "Send in the Clowns"? That was the best laugh my date and I ever had at a wedding. --Teresa Labella

You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' (The Righteous Brothers)My husband has been a wedding DJ for over 20 years. He has lots of stories about weird wedding song choices, but my favorite is the couple that requested "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' " for their first dance. Stunningly oblivious to the lyrics, or even just the title, they explained: "But we love Top Gun!" --Dana Robb

Just A Gigilo/I Ain't Got Nobody (Louis Prima)During the '80s, one of my cousins got married for the second time. Since her first was an elopement, she did a nice job with a church, harp and flute with organ for the music. It was all quite dignified; her father performed the ceremony. The reception was on the ocean, also very nice. When the master of ceremonies introduced the couple for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. XXX, the wedding band played "Just a Gigolo." Everyone under the age of 30 erupted into hysterical laughter. --Elisabeth Powers

Thursday, June 11, 2009

I recently had the pleasure of working with a wonderful couple, Lindsay & Ryan, on their wedding. The ceremony was held at St. Louis Church in Buffalo, and the reception was held at The Roycroft Inn. The entire day was elegant and beautiful, and Lindsay was the most calm and collected bride you could imagine wearing a gorgeous custom made dress. I have never done an event at The Roycroft Inn, and I have to say that I was very impressed with the venue. The staff was extremely professional and handled everything with ease. Many of them have been working together for years and they have a great team assembled.

Check out this fabulous groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner made by Muscoreil's Fine Desserts!! Muscoreil's is my favorite bakery - they are talented artists and their cakes are delicious!

Yes, Ryan...this cake is all about you! So creative!

Here are some amateur photos from their day to get you excited for the professional ones! Professional pictures will follow soon!

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe that loving is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn